The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

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Friday, September 18, 2015

Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) –
In view of his imminent trip to Cuba, the Pope has sent a message to
the country, to be broadcast on television at 8.30 p.m. local time
(2.30 in Rome), the full text of which is reproduced below:

“There are only a few days remaining
before my trip to Cuba. For this reason, I wish to send a fraternal
greeting before we meet in person. I will visit you to share faith
and hope, so that we can strengthen each other in following Jesus. It
is very good for me and of great help to me to think of your
faithfulness to the Lord, of the spirit in which you face everyday
difficulties, of the love with which you help and support each other
on the path of life. Thank you for this very valuable witness.

For my part, I wish to convey a very
simple message, but one that I think is important and necessary.
Jesus loves you very much. Jesus loves you truly. And He always
carries you in His heart; He knows better than anyone what each
person needs, what he yearns for, his deepest desire; He knows our
heart. He never abandons anyone; when we do not behave as He would
hope, He is always ready to welcome us, to console us, to give us new
hope, a new chance, a new life. He is always there.

I know that you are preparing for this
visit with a prayer. I thank you infinitely. We need to pray, we need
prayer, this contact with Jesus and Mary. And it gives me great joy
to know that, following the advice of my brother bishops of Cuba, you
are repeating several times a day the prayer we learned as children.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like yours. It is beautiful to
have a heart like Jesus', so as to know how to love like Him, to
forgive, to give hope and to accompany.

I wish to be among you as a missionary
of God's mercy and tenderness, but allow me to encourage you too to
be missionaries of God's infinite love. May no-one lack the witness
of our faith and our love. May all the world know that God always
forgives, that God always stays by our side, that God loves us.

I will go to the Shrine of Our Lady of
Cobre as a pilgrim, as a child who looks forward to arriving at his
mother's house. To her I entrust this trip and also all Cubans. And
please, I ask you to pray for me. May Jesus bless you and the Holy
Virgin care for you. Thank you”.

Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) –
The Vatican Observatory is holding an international symposium to
celebrate the eightieth anniversary of its transfer to Castel
Gandolfo at the behest of Pope Pius XI, who decided upon the move
since the lights of the city of Rome made it impossible for
astronomers to study the less bright stars. The observatory is one of
the oldest in the world, established in the second half of the
sixteenth century when Gregory XIII erected in the Vatican the Tower
of the Winds and invited the the Jesuits, astronomers and
mathematicians of the Roman College to prepare the reform of the
calendar promulgated in 1582.

Today the Pope received in audience the
participants in this meeting, affirming that “the universe is more
than a scientific problem to be solved: it is a joyful mystery that
we contemplate with wonder and praise”. He added, “St. Ignatius
of Loyola understood this language well. He himself said that his
greatest consolation was to look at the sky and the stars, as when he
did so he felt a great desire to serve the Lord”.

Francis recalled that throughout the
years the astronomers of the Observatory have undertaken paths of
research, creative paths following in the wake of the astronomers and
Jesuits of the Roman College, from Fr. Christoph Clavius (celebrated
for his contribution to the creation of the Gregorian calendar) to
Fr. Angelo Secchi (pioneer of astronomical spectroscopy), by way of
Fr. Matteo Ricci and many others.

“On this anniversary, I wish to
recall Benedict XVI's address to the Fathers of the last General
Congregation of the Society of Jesus, in which he remarked that the
Church urgently needed consecrated persons to dedicate their lives to
the frontier between faith and human knowledge, between faith and
modern science. … In the context of interreligious dialogue, more
urgent today than ever before, scientific research into the universe
can offer a unique perspective, shared by believers and non-believers
alike, to help achieve a better religious understanding of creation.
In this respect the Schools of Astrophysics that the Observatory has
organised in the last thirty years represent a valuable opportunity
for young astronomers throughout the world to engage in dialogue and
to collaborate in the search for truth”.

Francis also mentioned that during the
symposium the members of the Observatory discussed the importance of
communicating that the Church and her pastors embrace, encourage and
promote genuine science. “It is very important that you share the
gift of your scientific knowledge of the universe with the people,
freely giving what you have freely received”, he said.

“In the spirit of gratitude to the
Lord for the witness of science and faith that the members of the
Observatory have given in these decades, I encourage you to continue
on your path … with those who share the enthusiasm and effort of
the exploration of the universe”, he concluded.

Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) –
According to a press release issued today by the Apostolic Almoner,
the parish community of St. Anna in the Vatican has received a family
of refugees, consisting of a father, mother and two children. They
are Syrian, Christians of Catholic Greek-Melkite rite, and fled from
their war-torn home city of Damascus, arriving in the Vatican on
Sunday 6 September, when during the Angelus the Pope launched an
appeal to each parish, religious community, monastery and shrine to
offer shelter to a family.

The four members of the family will
stay in an apartment in the Vatican, near St. Peter's. The procedures
for requesting international protection were initiated immediately.
According to the law, for the first six months after presenting the
request for asylum, applicants may not accept paid work. In this
period they will be assisted and accompanied by the St. Anna parish
community. Until the decision is made in Italy as to whether or not
their status of refugee will be granted, further information
regarding this family cannot be given. Furthermore, to protect them
during this phase it would be appropriate for the mass media to
respect their wish not to be sought or interviewed.

With regard to the accommodation of a
second family in the Vatican parish of St. Peter, the Almoner is not
currently able to provide further information.

In this context of Christian charity
towards those who flee war and famine, it is worth highlighting that
for many years the Popes, through the Apostolic Almoner, have
contributed to the payment of taxes for the issue of stay permits for
refugees through the Centro Astalli, directed by the Jesuits (since
2014, 50,000 euros have been disbursed for this purpose). In
addition, the Almoner, again on behalf of the Pope, helps many
individuals and families of refugees on a daily basis, as well as
meeting needs, including healthcare, for many reception centres
located in Rome.

Furthermore, for some days a modern
mobile clinic, donated to the Pope a few years ago and so far
reserved solely for events at which he presides, was made available
several times a week to assist refugees in reception centres,
including irregular ones, situated in the outskirts of Rome. The
volunteers, who are doctors, nurses and Swiss Guards, are employees
of Vatican City State institutions, the University of Rome at Tor
Vergata, and members of the Association of the “Medicina Solidale
Onlus” Institute.

Vatican City, 18 September 2015 (VIS) –
The Holy Father has appointed Fr. David Tencer, O.F.M. Cap., as
bishop of Reykjavik (area 103,000, population 325,671, Catholics
11,454, priests 15, religious 37), Iceland. The bishop-elect was born
in Nova Bana, Slovakia in 1963 was ordained a priest in 1986. He gave
his solemn vows in 1994. He holds a licentiate in theology and has
served as pastor in Holic, rector of the convent of Hrinova, and
superior of the convent in Zilina. He transferred to Iceland in 2004
where he has served as vicar of Stella Maris in Reykjavik, and is
currently pastor of the parish of St. Þórlákur (Thorlak) in
Reyðarfjörður. He succeeds Bishop Peter Burcher, whose resignation
from the pastoral care of the same diocese in accordance with canon
401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law was accepted by the Holy Father.